Miscues create short field positions for 49ers

Over the course of the game, the Browns had multiple critical miscues that put the 49ers in good field position to capitalize on – two from special teams mistakes and two from failed fourth-down attempts.

“I mean we killed ourselves today,” S Grant Delpit said. “I think they got the ball in plus territory four times; it just put our defense on our heels. And on defense we didn’t get any takeaways, we didn’t get the ball back. So, then we just killed us in that aspect.”

As the Browns were forced to punt the ball on their first offensive drive, P Corey Bojorquez punted the ball 48 yards. 49ers punt returner Sky Moore caught and returned the ball for 66 yards to put San Francisco at Cleveland’s 16-yard line. Six plays later, the 49ers turned the field position into a touchdown to give them a 7-0 lead.

In the third quarter as the Browns were moving down the field, they lined up to attempt a fourth-and-1 conversion. However, TE Harold Fannin Jr. fumbled the direct snap, and San Francisco recovered the ball. The 49ers then drove down the field with six runs by RB Christian McCaffrey and a completed pass to TE George Kittle before QB Brock Purdy ran the ball in for a 2-yard touchdown to build their lead to 17-8.

The struggles continued as early in the fourth quarter, punt returner Gage Larvadain muffed a punt at the Cleveland 18-yard line that San Francisco recovered. When the 49ers’ offense took the field again, they turned that field position into another touchdown as Purdy connected with WR Jauan Jennings on a 7-yard touchdown pass.

Then, about halfway through the fourth quarter, the Browns went for their second fourth-down conversion on the San Francisco 48-yard line. On fourth-and-16, QB Shedeur Sanders looked to make a play but was sacked for a loss of 10 yards and turned the ball over to the 49ers on downs. San Francisco then used the field position to march down the field and score their final points of the game on a 31-yard field goal attempt.

“That’s not the way to play a good team where you’re giving them short fields,” Stefanski said. “That’s not the right, with our defense, we got to make them earn it. And I don’t think we did that today.”